


Strike One

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-11
Updated: 2006-03-11
Packaged: 2018-08-16 04:27:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8087104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: Yankees vs. Red Sox. Even 150 years from now, it still brings out the best in a girl from New England. (10/20/2004)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: This little fic was spurred by.1) the recent string of "I Hate the Yankees" e-mail, 2) my recent fic with Liz Cutler, who in my world is from New England, so she gets another role, 3) 19 to 8!!! What the hell was that?! Geez, if this doesn't prove there is a curse, I don't know what does, and 4) Since Captain Archer is from Upstate New York, he could be a Yankee fan or, since he went to Stanford, he could be a Giants fan.either way, in this author's opinion, he deserves what he's about to get. Go Red Sox!!  


* * *

Liz Cutler didn't usually mind being in sickbay. Even though her primary role on board Enterprise was that of an entomologist, as an emergency medical technician, she was required to put in a least four duty shifts per month in sickbay. Every other shift she had ever pulled in sickbay went by quickly. But not today. Not on the day that Hoshi Sato had dropped by to give her a data chip that contained her latest subspace communication...a three game Red Sox home stand against the New York Yankees!

She couldn't count the number of times she had watched her team fight their mortal enemy. Her dad had taken her to her first Red Sox game when she was only three years old. Even when she attended Starfleet Academy, she always made it home for at least a couple of games a year. Oh, to be in her quarters right now watching these games. Looking at the chronometer...only three hours left.

Captain Archer had a number of reports to review before they could be sent to Starfleet. He had been in his ready room until 2200 hours. By the time he returned to his quarters, Porthos made it abundantly clear that it was well past time for his walk.

"O.K. boy, I didn't forget about you" he rubbed his little beagle's head and ears, wishing he could just drag his tired body into bed or maybe watch a little water polo. Instead, he picked up a couple of 'disposal bags' and some cleaning tablets and headed out the door behind his quadruped friend. Their usual walk took them down several corridors, including those that passed many of the crew's quarters. At this time of night, most of the crew had turned in, so the ship seemed very peaceful. Peaceful, that was, until Porthos' ears picked up something that caused him to growl at one of the doors. Then suddenly Captain Archer could hear a female crewmember shouting from behind the door ..."You fucking bastard!! What in the hell do you think you're doing!"

'What in god's name is going on in there' was the first thing to go through Jonathan Archer's mind. He immediately punched in his security code to enter the crewman's quarters, not knowing what he would find.

Liz sat on the edge of her bunk totally engrossed in the images on her view screen, following every call from the home plate umpire. She didn't like what she was seeing. A ball six inches off home plate could not be called a strike...especially when Boston was at bat. Game tied three all, two on, with two out in the bottom of the seventh...the count goes 0-1. "You fucking bastard!! What in the hell do you think you're doing!" Liz yelled at the umpire.

Suddenly Liz's attention was ripped from the view screen when the door to her quarters suddenly slid open and Captain Archer bounded in. "Are you alright?" he demanded of her, checking around the small room.

"Yes, sir" she stammered, having practically snapped to attention in front of her bed.

A small flush came across Captain Archer's face as he began to realize his mistake. "I'm sorry Ensign...I heard you yell and I thought that you were in trouble. I didn't realize..." he was taking it all in, the game on the view screen, the old style Red Sox jersey the ensign wore, the shorts...'nice legs' he thought to himself. "I apologize for the intrusion, Ensign."

"I'm sorry, Captain. I guess I got a little carried away. It's been a while since I got a game from home. I was just so excited...it's against the Yankees. They're our big rival."

Jon smiled a little "yes, I'm aware of the rivalry, Ensign."

"Of course, sir."

During this time, Porthos had decided to make himself comfortable on Liz's bed. "Come on, Porthos, time to go home" called Jon. All he received in return was a whine from the dog, followed by his rolling over and wagging his tail. "Come on Porthos, I'm sure the Ensign would like to have her bed to herself."

'Hmm' thought Liz, 'I've had my bed to myself for way too long. God I'm pathetic if Porthos is the best I can do.' "If you'd like to stay and watch the rest of the game, I don't mind Captain."

"Oh, we don't want to interrupt more than we already have, Ensign" to which Porthos growled.

"Porthos doesn't seem to mind."

"Maybe just an inning."

Liz pulled out the desk chair for her captain and made herself comfortable on the bed with Porthos, who got a belly rub out of the deal. Jon stayed for the rest of the game...which remained tied until the bottom of the 13th inning, when Boston finally scored a runner on a squeeze bunt.

"Wow, that was some game" Jon seemed to genuinely enjoy himself.

"I can't believe we pulled it out. Reminds me of the 2006 Series."

"2006 Series?" Jon quizzed.

"Yeah. The BoSox won the 2006 World Series with a Kevin Millar squeeze bunt in ninth inning of game 5" Liz rattled off the information as if all humans must know that fact.

"How do you remember so much about baseball?" Jon asked.

"Well, everyone in my family has always been a huge Red Sox fan. But that play will always stand out in my mind because my great grandfather was there to see that game. He had a baseball bat, you know...the old fashion wood bats, that was signed by Kevin Millar. That bat was given to me by my Dad when I got my assignment to Enterprise."

"I would like to see that someday" Jon mussed. "Maybe when we get back to Earth..."

Liz interrupted him "I've got it with me."

"You brought the bat on board?"

"I like having a little bit of home with me. Do you really want to see it?" she asked shyly.

"I'd love to see a piece of baseball history."

Liz went to her closet and reached to the back to find the bat in a protective case. As she pulled it out she told the captain "You know, Millar was always a power hitter, so it was a real surprise when he squared around to bunt." As she said those last few words, not seeing the Captain had stood and walked toward her, she acted out the motion, taking the bat and squaring around to bunt...and like Kevin Millar, Liz Cutler made contact.

"Ugh." Jonathan Archer, wind knocked out of him, doubled over having just had his balls bunted by Liz Cutler. "Was it because I was pulling for the Yanks?" he grumbled breathlessly.

"Oh my, God! Captain!"

Liz pulled him back toward the bed and helped him down. "Just wait there, I'll be right back."

"I'm not going anywhere" he managed to get out through gritted teeth.

Liz rushed into the bathroom and emerged with a first aid kit. She took a chemical cold pack out and crushed it between her hands to activate it. "Umm...this would work better, if, umm, well it needs to be, uh...under your uniform."

"O.K." He tried to sit up, but he was still clearly in pain, so Liz helped sit him up and carefully started to pull down the zipper of his uniform, with just a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

"Just slide it down, umm..."

"I think I know what to do, Ensign." Jon was starting to regain his thought process by this point.

"I'm so sorry, Captain. I didn't hear you come up behind me." Liz was clearly shaken. Jon started to laugh, which immediately made Liz think he must be more seriously hurt than she had thought. "I can call Phlox..."

"No!" Jon stopped laughing at that. "The last thing I want is for Phlox to find me in your quarters with my uniform half off and an ice pack on my, well, you know."

"I suppose that wouldn't be very 'captainly,' would it."

"Let's just say I would rather this stay between you and I."

"I really am sorry, Captain."

"I should know better than to come up behind a woman armed with a baseball bat. I'll recommend that you be transferred to one of Lt. Reed's security teams."

"I think I'll stick with entomology and emergency medicine, if you don't mind."

"O.K." Jon chuckled and winced, which caused him to drop the ice pack. As he bent down to pick it up, his head collided with Liz, as she had bent to retrieve it.

"Yankee fans really don't stand a chance around you, do they?" Jon said almost flinching waiting for her response.

Liz took the ice pack and lifted it to his head and held it at the spot which would most certainly become a bump. "Captain, I don't know what to say..." She sat on the edge of the bed holding the ice pack to him and their eyes met.

"Well, you could start by not calling me Captain. I think under the circumstances, Jon would be more appropriate." He put his hand up to the ice pack and covered her hand with his.

They stayed inches away from each, continuing to gaze into each others eyes. Liz finally broke the silence "you know, I don't think Phlox uses this technique, but I've always heard that one of the best treatments for a bump like this is the 'kiss-and-make-it-better'." With that Liz pulled the ice pack away and placed a feather light kiss upon the Captain's head.

Jon took a deep breath. "That does seem to be effective, but it was a nasty bump. I'm not sure one treatment..." he trailed off as he leaned in to kiss Liz on the mouth. The kiss built until the two finally pulled away in a gasp for air.

Liz took the ice pack and tossed it on the floor along with the discarded first aid kit. "Now, about your other injury..."

"Porthos! Off the bed, Porthos."


End file.
